Que Sera, Sera
by Exilo
Summary: This is how the world ends. This is how it all ends. This is the final account. Final part, sequel to SftD, Kingdom Come, VVV, and WbD. Read and review please. And enjoy. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**The final part of this Halo franchise. The final part of my prior works. I urge you to read those first, before this. Read and review please.**

---

It was the last Tuesday before the end of the world when Lord Hood received an encrypted message. It was ONI coding. Lord Hood had no trouble deciphering them with the "skeleton key" (which was a code to decipher all UNSC encryptions) his computer was equipped with. Oh, if this computer had fallen into alien hands during the war…but it hadn't. And the war was over. For the time being at least.

Lord Hood, with passive interest, examined the message. He didn't bare mind to the source (it originated from a human ship, one of ONI's many). He simply examined it, watching the words, mind slowly baring recognition. Then he quickly read the words on the screen again. And again.

Lord Hood felt a slightly tingle in his chest, and took several deep breathes to calm down. The war, the stress, reconstruction, it had taken a toll on his body. His heart…he had to mind his heart for the time being. Nothing big, the doctors said, but just something he had to be wary of. So, swallowing, he typed at the computer, and opened a channel with his top generals.

_Chapter 1_

The stitches were holding well. Idly, Lazarus flexed the muscles up and down what was left of his left arm.

Six months ago, he had overseen the pillage of a human medical freighter. He and his _pack_ (which by now numbered in the hundreds he was proud to say) took the ship with ease, and rounded the humans up. They cowered in a single room, a storage room, and begged for mercy, as they always did. As if this time, the raid would go differently. This time it did. Lazarus offered his mercy and granted them all life.

The choice to grant them life was unpopular, and it would continue to be unpopular for all this time. Several Jiralhanae threatened to kill him, take the rank of chieftain for themselves, then kill off his precious humans. But when questioned, he explained they were more useful alive.

It wasn't difficult to persuade the humans to tend to his stump. After a raid went sour not a week ago, and Lazarus found himself in a hand to hand fight with two Sangheili minors, his wound opened up again. The humans sutured far better than a Jiralhanae ever could, and he was confident that the stitches would hold now. The humans were like Unggoy really, falling into place when confronted with a show of force. Now they mostly did grunt work: cleaning, preparing meals, tending to wounded. They seemed to understand that while they worked, they were useful, because they certainly worked hard. And though they knew, routinely, they would be slaughtered for a meal or games, they still worked in the hopes of lasting a few more days. Lazarus felt disgust for them, and was at times disappointed that they didn't revolt more.

He stretched his arm, and then traced a finger over the stump and stitches. Despite their cowardly nature, they did good work. While they tended to his arm, he had Cascus at his blindside, staring at the human, waiting for them to finish. They had actually offered to "grow" him a hand, but he had declined. He was rather proud of the wound, and his pack was proud of it. It had become a symbol.

"Chieftain, incoming transmission."

Lazarus looked up. So odd to be called that. Despite his elaborate armor, he still thought of himself as just a captain. The sacred hammer Cascus had offered took a place of reverence at the center of the ship. He instead carried one of the smaller, one-handed hammers, though most thought it was a matter of preference and preference alone.

Cascus still had contacts with the Kig-Yar. Those that did not care about the Sangheili's vendetta and only thought of the goods and favors that the large, furry behemoth could offer. From them, Lazarus had commissioned several, for lack of a better word, shields. Of the same material as Jiralhanae blades, they were strong and solid enough to stop human bullets and Sangheili plasma, but what was really fascinating was the engineering that allowed it to fold to a manageable size when not in use. When idle, the shield was only about the size of a blade, and rested up the forearm. When in use, the flaps circled out from that long sliver, and spread out, locking into place. Lazarus had to smile at it, every time he blocked a Sangheili's plasma and drew close, only to swing the shield into their skull and crush it.

"From one of our ships?" Lazarus asked. There fleet had a strength of thirty now, a dozen Jiralhanae ships that has survived the war, and the rest captured and pirated over the year he had been at large. The crews were a mixture of Jiralhanae, Unggoy and Kig-Yar loyalists, and captured humans.

"No chieftain."

The front screen flickered to a basic map of the sector. A planet, designated I-33 by the Covenant, and "Hammer" by the humans (due to its high gravity compared to Earth) was highlighted. Lazarus paused, looking at the screen. That was a routine stop for the packs. The warm climate and comfortable weight reminded them all of Doisac, and though Lazarus knew full well the dangers visiting such a planet, it was something he could not bear to leave alone.

If the Sangheili finally had put the clues together, then this was a trap. The packs had taken to using hit and run tactics, hopping through sectors so erratically the Sangheili could never fight them. It would be logical for the Sangheili to attempt to corner them all on one planet, and crush them under heel.

"Send an order. All ships are to flee. Return in two hours, ready for a fight..." he paused. "If we are not here, then we are dead, and it has been an honor to fight by their side."

"Yes chieftain," said the radio operator.

"I need four warriors in the hangar. I will lead the investigation."

"Yes chieftain."

Lazarus sighed, flexing the muscled in his arm. Phantom pain. That's what it was called. He rose from his seat and headed for the hangar, looking over his hammer, shield, and plasma rifle. The hangar was filled with both Covenant and human drop ships. Jiralhanae were never picky creatures, nor could the pack afford to be. One thing they did insist on though was painting the ships a fiery, crimson red to contrast the green or purple their enemies used. Lazarus entered the hangar, and selected one of the Covenant dropships that had yet to be painted. There was a chance, however slim, that if the Sangheili attacked in force, this dropship could slip in with the others. A slim chance, but Lazarus had learned to take whatever advantage he could scrounge.

Kritius, Spurius, and Tiberius each were in the hangar by the time he arrived. They would accompany him. It would seem a Kig-Yar would be as well.

"I asked for warriors," Lazarus said, eyeing Tays.

Tays puffed her cigarette a bit, not bothering to lift her head and make eye contact. Instead, she was eye level with his belly. "Well, I'm bored. And I would like some fresh air away from Jiralhanae musk. Honestly, I'm rather afraid. I don't believe any females survived the glassing."

At about 5'4", with olive skin, purple hair worn short and spiky, and amber eyes, Tays looked like any other Kig-Yar. It had taken months for Lazarus to really recognize her to the point he was confident he could pick her out of a crowd. He doubted any Sangheili could do the same. Yes, there was a bounty on her head, but she could sneak back to Eayn without too much of a problem and live her life with the decent fortune she had accumulated over the years. So why did she stay, Lazarus often asked himself.

Lazarus shook his head. He needed to be ready for a fight. Him with his plasma rifle and shield and hammer. Kritius carried a human assault rifle with a bayonet cobbled on, Spurius a Brute Shot and Spiker, and Tiberius two Spikers and a rocket launcher across his back. These were men he could trust and rely on.

He took a deep breath, looking at the warriors, his warriors. His personal guard. He smiled to them. "The Sangheili think they are setting a trap for us," he said. "They are fools. They have given us a gift. When we return to this ship, we will have more weapons, perhaps a new dropship, and of course, meat for our bellies." With deep laughter, the Jiralhanae piled into the dropship that would take them down to the planet, and into the fight.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Touching down on the ground, and piling out of the drop-ship, the JIralhanae spent just a moment reveling in the thick air and added weight of the higher gravity. It was hot on the planet, and Tays shook a bit, as if that would free of her of the bothersome heat. She tugged at the collar of her armor vest, and played with the rifle on her back, trying to distribute the weight so it wasn't so heavy. Nothing seemed to work.

"Where is it?" Lazarus asked. "The message, where was it sent?"

Kritius typed a small locator in his hand. "Forward. Chieftain, we've no permanent settlements. Anywhere. If a message was sent out, it _is_ a Sangheili trap."

"Yes. And they fancy us stupid enough to fall for it." Lazarus gave a soft chuckle. "Do you wish to pass up this chance to kill something? If so, you are free to stay here." That earned a slight laugh.

They moved in a pattern, single file. Lazarus, of course, at the front. Kritius next, giving directions. Then Tays, then Spurius. Lastly, Tiberius. It was a long walk, and Tays began to regret coming along. The heat was really bothering her. She whipped beads of sweat from her brow, but they just returned. She picked up speed, slipping out of the line to match Lazarus' pace. "This is bad," she said.

Lazarus growled lowly. Tays had long come to the conclusion that if he were ever going to kill her, he would have done it by now. For whatever reason, he liked her. Or at least deemed her useful enough not to wantonly kill because of a passing remark or bit of annoyance. "I mean, alright, you know it's a trap. The Sangheili probably don't know you know it's a trap, but still." He snorted again. Sighing, she simply lowered her head and continued forward.

The ground grew even rockier. Large boulders and mounds of cooled molten earth all led to a rough terrain that made Tays' feet bleed. She actually thought of climbing onto Lazarus' shoulders and saying she wanted a better vantage point, but no matter how much a tolerance he might have had for her, he no doubt had his limits.

A fat blue plasma orb hit Lazarus in the chest, flickering his shields. He stumbled back, lifting his arm to fend off additional shots. The shield erected almost instantly, covering most of his upper half, and he protected his lower body by squatting. "Sangheili!" he roared. The odd thing was he couldn't smell them. He couldn't see them of course because of their active camouflage, but he should have been able to smell them. Not bothering with such a petty detail, he drew the plasma rifle with his right hand, and holding it horizontally, squeezed off several fat crimson blobs. The plasma made contact with at least some of the Sangheili, flickering their camouflage away. Tiberius leapt, and scrabbled to the top of a slightly elevated rock. Taking the rocket launcher off his back, he took a moment to aim, and squeezed. The rocket hissed through the short distance to where the Sangheili were standing. The explosion rained shrapnel and chunks of rock into the surrounding area, hurting the Jiralhanae due to proximity, but all that mattered was the camouflage melted away.

Sangheili and humans both. The humans must have wanted a place in this mission with the pack's consistent piracy, but what truly frightened Lazarus was that they had active camouflage, the same as the Sangheili. But that was a thought for another time. The explosion had stunned those it didn't kill. Spurius drew his Spiker and sprayed the group, Lazarus did the same from the cover of his shield. Two of the humans, and one of the Sangheili was taken before they could duck away. The blam of a shotgun caught Tiberius in the chest and knocked him off the rock. Lazarus backed away, still spraying but taking a small bit of additional cover behind a protruding rock. "Numbers?" he asked, letting the plasma rifle cool. Tays leaned out, lining her carbine before squeezing.

"Five…well…four Sangheili. Six humans left. The grunts." She squawked out an amused caw, leaning back into cover.

Lazarus squatted over Tiberius, checking the thick armor on his chest to be sure nothing had reached his heart. "Carpet," he barked, setting his rifle on his belt and taking his hammer up. The warriors leaned out of cover and sprayed a thick volley over the ground. The Sangheili lifted plasma gauntlets and hid. Again, there was something odd in that, for them to carry such defensive measures. Not something Lazarus must concern himself with at this time, but deep in his mind he made note.

With a roar, Lazarus leapt onto the large rock, before leaping and smashing into the Sangheili and human, swinging his hammer madly. The gravity seemed to slow them, the humans more than the Sangheili but the Sangheili weren't as fast in drawing their blades. He killed the one he smashed in to, and twisted, striking the ground and knocking a second off his feet. Lazarus spun, hammer smashing and hacking into the squad of humans, their bullets bouncing off his armor and shields. Out of the cover came Kritius and Spurius, both roaring and screaming, blades and bludgeons in hand. They were upon the enemy, smashing and snapping them.

It was a chaotic battle, not that battles were ever orderly, but this one was certainly in the Jiralhanae's favor. They were accustomed to the gravity and the heat so they wouldn't be touched by exhaustion, and they were more than efficient in close quarters. In particular, Tiberius had his vengeance when he cornered the shotgun carrying human and swung his bayonet down. The human lifted his shotgun as if to parry, but the blade cut easily through the metal and the human's armor.

At a roar, Lazarus looked over his shoulder, to see a Sangheili in red armor drawing his sword. Lazarus took hold of the human he was presently occupied with and twisted his wrist, snapping the little creature's neck, before turning to the Sangheili and roaring himself. Lazarus lifted his left armored wrist, knowing very well it wouldn't stop the concentrated plasma of the sword for more than a moment. But the moment was all he needed. He batted the hand away, putting the Sangheili off balance as he swung his hammer at his ribs. The Sangheili took the hit, buckling slightly, but managed to move with the blow to avoid complete destruction of his chest cavity. The Sangheili took a step back, before swinging the arm that was donning the plasma shield. Lazarus had been watching the sword wielding hand, so was caught off guard, and the sharp edges of the shield caught him across the chest, opening a thick gash. It was at that moment that one of the humans leapt onto his back and put its arms around his neck. Lazarus caught a flicker of silver as the human readied to jam his blade through Lazarus' throat. Then the blade fell to the ground, and the grip over his throat loosened. Tiberius crashed into the Sangheili major, tackling him and pinning him. The Sangheili fought, but both arms were pinned under Tiberius' hands. Tiberius smashed his head into the Sangheili's, before standing and stomping a heel onto his head, crushing it.

Kritius snorted, jamming a knife through the last Sangheili's chest. He shifted his weight, letting the body fall to the ground before pulling his blade out and stabbing him again. And again. Lazarus growled under his breath, looking behind him at the human that had tried to stab him. That human was laying on the ground, and a large amount of his head had been blown away. Tays, carrying her carbine, stalked over. Lazarus actually muttered a thank you, but reluctantly the Kig-Yar shook her head. "Wasn't me," she said. "Sniper. A real sniper I mean."

Tays stuck her finger into the wet remains of the human's skull. "No cauterization. Human make, not Covenant." She stood and lit a cigarette in her beak. "More damage to the left side of the skull, that is the exit wound. Shot came from his right then. No downward angle. Shooter was relatively level with the ground. That means not in those mountains there. And probably not too far. Being ground level, you've got bad visibility, not to mention the range is badly reduced cause of gravity's pull. And here, you've got even worse pull than Eayn…or Earth if we are dealing with a human shooter. Probably someone skilled actually, if they can get that shot off. Hell, I'm impressed."

Lazarus snorted. Addressing his Jiralhanae, he said, "Bring the bodies back to the ship. Be certain you don't feed the humans their fallen, they're a bit squeamish. Contact the other ships if they haven't jumped already. We…" He paused a moment, then gave a heavy sigh. "This planet will have to be destroyed. These pathetic excuses for warriors were simply here to wait for us. They no doubt managed a message to the main fleet to glass this planet. Tays, you come with me."

"Why?" she whined.

Lazarus looked to her, growling lowly.

"Fine," she sighed. She scurried over to him, replacing the ammunition in her carbine. Again, the sharp rocks cut her feet, and she gave soft whimpers and hisses out. She looked back, to see the three Jiralhanae already heading back to the ship, shoulders loaded with corpses and belts weighed down with weapons. It would take several trips. "Don't suppose I could ride on your shoulders? You know better vantage point?"

Lazarus stopped and looked to her. A moment later, he reached down. Tays squeaked, expecting him to crush her. Instead, he lifted her and placed her on his shoulder. She took quick hold of his ornate headdress to keep from falling, and muttered a silent "thank you" as her feet were given the chance to relax.

Cupping her hand over her eyes and looking forward, she saw the black figure first. She cawed, and pointed in the direction, but it still took a while before Lazarus could see as well. He set her down, and she drew her carbine as Lazarus drew his plasma rifle. He moved at a brisker pace. Tays kept some steps behind. If the approaching party proved hostile, she wanted the Jiralhanae to take the first, if not all, the shots.

"ODST," she muttered, slipping closer to Lazarus' backside, not wanting any stray shots to catch her. Lazarus took the hammer off his belt and held it in front, readying a swing. The human merely continued. The ODST was carrying a rifle in hand, but the ineffectiveness of such a weapon at close range kept the gesture from being taken as hostile. The ODST walked straight, stopping a few steps from Lazarus, not quite in range if Lazarus swung, but he could certainly close the distance in time.

"I can smell you Nicole. No sense in wearing a mask."

The ODST shrugged and set the rifle down, before lifting her helmet off. "Hello Lazarus. Miss me?"

Tays took steps away from Lazarus, glaring at the familiar human. Oh, she remembered her just fine. "You've gotten taller. And fatter."

"Lifts in my boots," Nicole said, taking her hair out of the bun and letting it fall down her back. "And the armor gives me some bulk. Couldn't come here as Lieutenant Kimber. I'm here as Private Jason Lee. Fortunately I could just keep my helmet on and grunt responses, so no need for a voice modifier. Never talked, sort of what's expected of rookies I guess."

"Why are you here, Nicole?" Lazarus asked. "Here to kill me for honor? Couldn't let your other have the pleasure?"

"No Laz, I'm not here to kill you. If I were here to kill you, I would have killed you by now. As cliché as it may sound, I'm here to join you. I trust my abilities are sufficient."

Lazarus tapped his foot, crossing his arms. "And why do you want to join me?"

The human rolled her eyes. "Take a wild guess."

Lazarus returned the weapon to his belt. That same hand took Nicole by the chest and lifted her to his snout. He sniffed deep, then held her at arm's length, not putting her down though. "You reek of fear. The Sangheili can't be so petty as to still hold a grudge. Aren't I enough of a threat that they forgot about tiny little you?"

"Oh, they have. Officially, you killed me with so many others when you took the _Shadow of Intent_. That's why I couldn't come here as Lieutenant Kimber."

"Then why not enjoy your children?" he asked.

"You hear what happened to Orff?" she asked, canting her head to the side. "They figured out that you and he were in bed. That he had willingly smuggled that EMP aboard the Arbiter's ship. Or maybe they didn't know for sure, but they wanted a body. So they killed him. And slaughtered his whole Keep. That's fucked up. He was blacklisted from his Keep, an outcast, but they still slaughtered them all. So ask yourself, what would stop them from killing my family? _In Sangheili culture, a crime of one is a crime of the whole Keep. They murder or exile the family_. That's what you told me, isn't it?"

Lazarus' eyes opened a moment. "And what? Now you want to have your vengeance? Kill the Sangheili that executed your kin, and the humans that sold you out?"

"Yes, I do."

He set her down. "Alright." Snorting, he looked around. "Additional enemies?"

The human gestured to the horizon. "They are peppered about the surface. You know that there is a fleet coming to kill you, right?"

"Yes, I do," Lazarus said passively, as he turned and started walking away, back the way he had come. Tays turned and followed after him, followed, somewhat hesitantly, by Nicole.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

There was a drop-ship waiting for them when the trio arrived at the LZ. Tiberius was there to greet them, though his demeanor turned sour when he noticed Nicole, more or less hiding and peeking out from behind Lazarus. "Brother…" he said with a slight whine to his voice. "By the rings, soon _they_ will outnumber _us_."

"She is one of us," Lazarus said. "She hates the Sangheili as much as any."

Tiberius snorted, but didn't say anything beyond that, instead turning to enter the drop-ship's cockpit. Lazarus climbed up through the back, then taking hold of one of the bars, reached down and took hold of Tays. He hoisted her up and set her down, then did the same with Nicole, who he proceeded to throw rather carelessly into one of the seats. Nicole knew how to brace herself for an impact. She hit the chair, but settled down gently and just waited for Lazarus to shuffle over to the drop-ship's controls in the cockpit. "This is Chieftain Lazarus," he said into the radio, standing beside Tiberius. "Has the fleet been contacted?"

"Yes chieftain," came a muffled, static voice. He growled at the uselessness of these radios. These ships…they were breaking down really. The Jiralhanae didn't have the means to repair them, so more often than not they simply used them until they couldn't fly, and then pirated fresher vehicles. Actually it had been working for them fairly well.

"Lazarus," Nicole said from the seating area. This prompted a growl from the other Jiralhanae, so she quickly changed to, "Chieftain."

Lazarus looked over his shoulder and to Nicole.

"You really shouldn't be fighting," she said. "They are going to maul you. There's a whole fleet."

Lazarus chuckled, as did Tiberius. "This is not our first time," the subordinate male said. "We aren't quite as pitiful as your kind is when dealing with Sangheili."

"Oh?" she asked. "Was the outcome at the Ark different then how I remember? Three to one odds, and they still managed to escape with their precious carrier intact, after decimating your fleet I might add. Their shipmaster safely on that carrier. That shipmaster who has killed so many of yours. The shipmaster who the Arbiter holds so dear."

When Tiberius stood and took a step forward and reached for her, Nicole bit back her scream. She fully expected to die right there and then, but a thick, cream colored arm blocked Tiberius from leaving the Pelican's cockpit. "I gave you no order to attack," Lazarus growled, face very close to Tiberius'. "We are close, brother. We are very, very close. And this human, a willing human who wants to see the planets burn, that is something that we cannot overlook."

Tiberius sighed, nodding meekly. Nicole's brow widened a bit in surprise. My, how the little Brute had grown. Course, he always had a bit of an alpha male thing to him. She chuckled under her breath. Not unlike Tim, how he could just go in and take command of any squad, anywhere. Not unlike Eva; ordering her brothers around and keeping them in line.

The ship rattled a tad as it took off. Nicole sighed and leaned a bit further back in her chair, which was simply huge. The Jiralhanae must have replaced the seats. Noting a smell of tobacco, she looked to her side, at the Kig-Yar sitting beside her. "Long time no see," she said.

Tays gave a low hiss. "You must be even stupider than I thought you were. You actually want to be on this ship? You want to be Lazarus' pet."

Nicole shrugged. "If it kills a couple million Sangheili, yes. I would do anything to help him. I would suck him off every night if it meant he would go out and kill an extra Sangheili than usual."

Tays' eyes opened a moment. "That's what losing kids does to you?"

Nicole looked to Tays. "You have no clue what its like."

Tays cawed. It was a sickening, cruel sound that Nicole hoped she would never have to hear again. "No, I don't. I don't know what it's like. And I like it that way."

"Never wanted to make your own little nest?"

"No, never had the urge. Ever. Go figure. I always liked the stars to my own kind's company. Course, now Lazarus took my ship as part of his vendetta. Not like I could fly anymore anyway. I'm betting my picture is plastered on every Sangheili's most wanted list."

She gave another caw of amusement, and again, Nicole wanted to cringe at that sickening sound. She stood, and walked through the ship towards the cockpit, only to find the way to the cockpit blocked by the second Jiralhanae. She was fully aware that he was not going to move, and rather than give him the satisfaction of asking and begging, she dropped to all fours. The Jiralhanae was confused a moment, until she merely crawled between his legs and stood behind him, then took a spot beside Lazarus.

Lazarus acknowledged her by turning his head and snorting, then returning to the controls. Ahead of them, the ship, the _Unending Devotion_, floated in the recesses of space, flanked by several others.

"Your children are dead?" Lazarus asked.

She assumed it was less a question than a confirmation. She sighed, and said in a low voice, "Yes." Would he think that she would lie about that? Yes, that would be a good cover. Get him to sympathize with her, let his guard down. From his perspective, she was a threat. She chuckled. He thought her a threat?

To her surprise, rather than pressing the matter, he shrugged and said, "I am sorry that you have to suffer that."

"And I am sorry for you," she said softly.

"Sangheili killed your family?" Lazarus asked, for the first time looking to her. Again, she let a slight, fearful laugh escape her mouth. She never got over his size. The battlefield, with adrenaline running through your veins, was something different than being so close she could reach out and kiss him on the snout.

"Yes," she said. "Sangheili killed my family."

"Can you raise a gun to humans?"

"Yes," she said quickly, now understanding where this was going. "Sangheili killed my family, but my own people let them go. It was ONI mostly. They had the biggest hand I am sure. They couldn't let the Sangheili hold the grudge. I'm betting that they thought they were doing the right thing at first: they covered up my death by blaming you. You killed me on the ship or something, so no human blood would really have to be spilled. But the Sangheili wouldn't take that. They wouldn't let Prin go without a body. So ONI gave up Nick and Eva…and Tiny. And peace was held a few more days."

"We will make them pay," Lazarus said. "We will make them all pay. I promise."

"So what's the first step?" she asked.

"First we deal with the fleet approaching."

Nicole looked to the few ships that were stubbornly still in the sector. "No offense Lazarus…but you won't win a space battle. It's just not in you guys. I mean, you couldn't do it with 3 to 1 odds. What hope have you now?"

Lazarus looked to her, his smoky eyes emotionless. "Who said anything about a space battle?"

Nicole shrugged. "So you're tucking tail? Do Brutes have tails? Bend over please…"

This time, Lazarus laughed. "You're so cute sometimes."

The ship was like any other ship, which somehow surprised Nicole. But what was she really expecting? Jiralhanae totems strung up from the walls? Jiralhanae feces littering the ground? An overwhelming Jiralhanae-y presence? But there was nothing that would have marked this as a Jiralhanae freighter. Nothing immediately noticeable at least. This was technically a human freighter. It was at least registered to Tays, Nicole was not sure how Jiralhanae viewed ownership rights. If this belonged to Tays still, or if it had been absorbed into "the Cause".

The last time Nicole had been in this situation, it hadn't been pleasant. She had also been starved and nude a majority of the time, so there were few situations that would have been pleasant under those circumstances. There were several Jiralhanae; tens, hundreds even, wandering through the halls and tending to duties. Unggoy and Kig-Yar here and there. Pirates or captured slaves. Or even those who did not enjoy the Sangheili and the humans as the galactic ruling class. Nothing had much changed actually. There was still something of a hierarchy, with the Kig-Yar and the Unggoy still the bottom rung, and that had to piss them off. Nicole had to wonder, deep down in the back of her mind…

She shook her head, and scooted closer to Lazarus as another Jiralhanae came slumping and tramping down the hallway. The black fur was the first tip off that this was someone familiar. He was far too large to still be a youth, which is what dark fur usually signified. So this was…Cascus. Yes, she remembered Lazarus had called him that a long time ago.

Cascus must have recognized her as well. He snorted once, then looked all the way down to her. He grinned. "That is the sign of a well trained pet: they always come back."

Lazarus gave a slight growl under his breath. "The ships came back awfully fast. For them to have jumped, their engines would have had to cool and jump again. I don't suppose they stayed in the sector."

"They won't leave without you Lazarus."

He shook his head. "Well, we will be leaving soon. I don't want the Sangheili to catch up. I don't want them to even catch a whiff of us."

"That is the other thing. Lazarus…the others are getting frustrated with this. They want to fight the Sangheili, not strike then run away like broken beasts. If we die, we die. But we want to die fighting. And the thought of losing this planet. This is the last we have of Doisac. The last reminder. This is all we have. And to have it destroyed. It doesn't sit well."

Lazarus sighed. "You speak as if I am smiling at this. I don't like this…any of this any more than the others."

"You let the humans on our ship!" Cascus shouted. It was such a burst, Nicole took a step behind Lazarus and hid.

"Cascus," Lazarus said lowly. "Question my orders again, and we will settle this dispute like true warriors. If you are ready to fall into line, stand down."

Cascus sighed, and slumped, then went back the way he had come. Nicole went fully behind Lazarus, and didn't immediately come to his side. He twisted and took her, and brought her back to her place before walking. "W-where are we going?" she asked, a bit afraid of the answer.

"To my quarters."

"Good," she said, sighing. "I hope you have a wash room. You really need a bath."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the late post. I just…I've been in a daze for the past few days. And actually going through some stuff. But here it is.**

_Chapter 4_

For the time being, Lazarus locked Nicole in his room, for whatever reason. Actually, he didn't have a reason. He did not think that she would try to escape her confines, whether because he knew she was afraid deep down or she was smarter than to do something so stupid. Perhaps he was afraid that a minor would stumble into his room and mistake Nicole as any other human. Whatever the reason, the door was locked from the inside as well as the out.

The bridge was quiet when he stepped through the door. Tays, of course, was in the shipmaster's seat. He rolled his eyes slightly at that, but left her to sit there, instead moving to the controls. "Has the Sangheili fleet arrived yet?" Lazarus asked.

"No sir," said a young Jiralhanae. "Ruptures signify they are coming any moment now though."

"Are the engines ready?"

For a moment, the youth tapped. "Yes sir, ready for the jump." The youth gave a sad sigh before slumping in one of the bridge's chairs. "We await your orders, chieftain."

Lazarus sighed heavily, looking down to the ground. On the air, he caught a familiar scent, and looked to his side to see Nicole standing beside him. Again, he did little more than roll his eyes at that, but left her. Perhaps he hadn't even believed the locked door would stop her, he just wanted to see if she would escape. He knew Nicole far too cagey to be kept anywhere like that, but he made a note of putting a collar on her or something.

"What are the orders?" Nicole asked, looking up to him.

"We are going to kill the Sangheili."

"As much a man of mystery as ever, aye Laz?"

He snorted, then gestured to the planet Hammer that was visible on the assortment of monitors, as well as the bridge's main window. "Did the Alliance ever wonder why we chose that planet? Much more than it's climate and gravity being so similar to Doisac's, though that is why we were first drawn to it. But after the first few months, we discovered sacred relics beneath the surface. That planet had been…created by the gods' will. Beneath its surface, Flood was kept for whatever reasons. Over time we learned that the gods took precautions. In the event that the Flood overran the planet, the planet could be ordered to self-destruct, decimating it as well as the surrounding moons. With the Alliance fleets close enough, they should be caught in the blast."

Nicole was surprised there was no laughter at that comment. She looked to Lazarus, and his face seemed mostly cold and solid. He didn't boast or snarl or roar in triumph. He was like a statue.

"Ruptures in space chieftain, the fleets should be arriving any moment."

At the center of the controls, before Lazarus, Nicole noticed a rather large handprint scanner. Human make? This was a human ship, or it had been once. But this device was not of human make. The dark, alien design and rounded curves. Like the relics from the Forerunners she had seen before. Nicole was surprised that the Jiralhanae had managed to hack the Forerunner technology, but then she realized they had simply moved it from one place to another. She realized they hadn't really hacked anything when Lazarus took her around the left wrist and forced her to the controls. Instinctively, she pulled away, but of course Lazarus kept an effortless grip on her wrist. Had she continued that resistance, she would have torn her arm out of its socket. Sighing, she simply moved forward with Lazarus' pull, but balled her fist before the scanner could touch her.

"Let me go," she growled, looking up to him. "You think I won't jump at the chance to kill some of the alligators?" He opened his hand slightly, and she pulled back. "This why you keep some humans on your ship?"

Lazarus gave a low snort. Nicole released her fist and placed it flat on the control, watching as it started to glow, recognizing her as a…what was that word that the AIs used?...Reclaimer.

"Charge the engines," Lazarus growled. "Jump on my mark."

Nicole watched the dense, dark air of space ripple. A moment later, two ships, Sangheili by the design, had entered the sector. They were still far away. Far enough that they wouldn't be able to shoot. Besides, first they would wait for the others in the fleet to arrive. Then they would try to swoop in. Yes, two more ships arrived quickly enough. Then another. She sighed, looking away. "Fucking squids," she muttered and turned to head out the door of the bridge.

Lazarus looked to the controls still, watching the planet bubble up its energy. The science behind what would destroy the planet was lost on him. Jiralhanae hands had not hacked the systems and worked it to activate on this ship. Several "liberated" Huragok had seen to that, not that they were aware what they were doing. He more or less had pointed at the controls, then at the ship, and they hummed and went to work.

The Sangheili (and human) ships were approaching. The planet was preparing its self-destruction. The ships, having just made a jump, it would be time before they could move at full speed. Even if the planet's destruction failed to destroy all the ships, they would at least be in such disarray that they would not follow. A victory, some would say. At least as much as the Jiralhanae could hope for.

"Jump," Lazarus ordered. He turned and walked to the shipmaster's seat, and when Tays didn't immediately move, he gave such a glare she nearly scrambled over the arm rest to the ground. Sighing, he turned, and sat in the chair, holding his head as the ship made its jump. He assumed the Sangheili ships would be destroyed, but to stay there to see it would put his own ship in danger. Not that he even cared much. They would all be dead soon enough. This tiny victory (if it could be called that at all) did not matter in the end. At most, this was meant to keep up appearances.

***

"Funny, I never would have guessed you could read," Nicole said to Lazarus, when Lazarus finally returned to his room later that day. She was referring to the extremely old and dusty books. There was a bit of nostalgia mingling in her voice. She hadn't held a real book since she had finally cleared out all the old stuff of Timothy's. That hadn't been a fun time. She didn't much enjoy remembering.

Lazarus came walking up to her, and rather abruptly took her around the middle. He hoisted her up without any effort, bringing her to his face and eyeing her, snorting at her. She stared back. "You really need a bath," she said.

He rolled his eyes and set her back down, surprisingly gently. "Have you ever read this one?" Nicole asked, holding up a book.

He gave a low snort and turned to the bed. "I can't read your language."

"Then why do you keep these?"

Again, Lazarus gave little more than a snort and shrug. Gathering the book into her arms, she followed after. "Timothy was a Lit major in college. I ever tell you that? He always used to tell me about his books. I swear, I'm a walking encyclopedia of ancient playwrights and a Latin phrases. You ever read this one?"

Lazarus growled again, eyeing the small leather bound book in her hand.

"It's called _The Merchant of Venice. _Written by a guy named Bill. It was one of Tim's favorites. Would you like me to read it to you?"

Lazarus sat down on the bed, laying back. Nicole moved forward and sat down beside him, resting against him lightly. The body beneath her shifted. She pretended not to notice. After clearing her throat, she started, then brought the book into her lap and started to read.

***

Tays rapped her knuckles on the door to Lazarus' quarters, and when she wasn't immediately answered, moved to the control panel. One long finger typed at the control pad, but to her surprise the door remained lock. She hissed under her breath. "Lazarus," she shouted, pounding the door with one hand. He had changed the codes! The nerve of that over-sized monkey!

After a time more, the door opened. Tays snarled, but only upon looking down did she see the short human standing there. The Kig-Yar shoved past her, knocking Nicole to her rump. "Where is Lazarus?" Tays asked.

Nicole pointed to a door at the other side of the room. "Finally got him to wash up. I doubt you want to interrupt him now. He might mistake you for a washcloth."

Tays moved to the door. "Stupid human," she said softly. When the Kig-Yar went inside the bathroom, she found Lazarus grooming his fur with a comb. A human comb at that, but Jiralhanae were never picky. Another time, she might have taken amusement in the sight of the chieftain combing his fur of moisture. Now she had more important problems. "Lazarus," she said. "Cascus needs to see you."

Lazarus snorted and looked to the small creature. "He going to kill me now?"

"No, but Tiberius is."


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Nicole had settled on the bed, and watched as Tays disappeared into the lavatory. Then, a few moments later, the Kig-Yar came back out, igniting the tip of a new cigarette with her spent one. Tays wandered over to the bed and climbed up beside Nicole, crouched on her knees. "Come with me," she said.

Nicole turned to watch as a very large Jiralhanae came shuffling into the room, brandishing one of the small hammers that Nicole had grown accustomed to. If she had to guess his age; given his height, build, rank, and fur color, she would say he was middle age. He was of normal size, a bit smaller than Lazarus. His armor was gold, and glimmered in the light. His fur didn't quite glow like the oldest of Jiralhanae, but it still a bit of a dull white instead of the chocolaty brown. "Human," Tays hissed. "Neither of us want to be here when the pack challenges the alpha male."

Nicole nodded and stood, pressing against the wall along with Tays as the new Jiralhanae took several steps inside. Turning her head, she noticed Lazarus, now in his full armor, come out of the lavatory. Nicole was almost surprised that there was no words between them. The epics that Timothy used to read, about men named Achilles and Hector, the fights always started with long monologues about their family and their honor. She imagined, if facing down Lazarus at this moment, Achillies would shit himself. Even the new Jiralhanae seemed a bit taken aback as Lazarus, with no weapons, came strolling forward. And with a loud roar, he charged. The new Jiralhanae, who was carrying that little hammer, lifted it over his head but before he could swing it down, Lazarus had tackled him, and was pushing him back. With a loud roar, the chieftain had pressed the rival against the room's wall. The wall yielded and broke against the two's force, and the fight spilled into the hallway.

Nicole pushed past Tays and moved into the hallway in time to see Lazarus mount the other male. Lifting the heavy armor of his left arm over his head, Lazarus brought it down, smashing the thickness against the other Jiralhanae's face.

Nicole didn't see the rest of the fight. Tays took her around the wrist and yanked her along down the hallway. By the roars and snarls behind them, either Lazarus had succeeded and killed the subordinate and his pack were cheering, or Lazarus had succeeded and killed the subordinate and his pack were trying to kill him again. Either way, Nicole…She had an odd feeling inside her. Not only that she was powerless to help Lazarus, who she had to admit she did care about on some level, but she was powerless to fight back against even the lowly Kig-Yar. Once she actually tried pulling her hand back, but Tays swiftly turned and smacked her across the face with a backhand, then resumed pulling her along.

Nicole was brought into what she took as a storage area, judging by the large crates and boxes as well as the low light. These areas never seemed to be too well lit for whatever reason. Probably conservation of energy. Nicole stepped in, taking that this would be a place for them to hide out till the coup ended, and since she was ahead she didn't notice as Tays took the carbine off her back. Slowly, the Kig-Yar came behind Nicole, and a moment later she had smashed the butt of the weapon into Nicole's back, knocking her down. Another hit to the back of the head knocked her out.

***

Tiberius' influence seemed to be stronger than Lazarus had thought. He knew the pack was unhappy with what was happening, but this unhappy! Unhappy enough that Tiberius and three others would attack him in the hallway. Jiralhanae were never extremely concerned with honor, but there were certain rules they all lived by. And to challenge a chieftain had a strict protocol. Or perhaps they had rationed that Lazarus was not a chieftain, not a real one at least. And that allowed this. Whatever the reason, he had beaten Tiberius to the point he would not be a bother, and put another of the mutineers through a wall. He was still engaged with the other two, though he was fairly in control of the fight. His armor protected him from the blades and spikes that the two were using, not to mention these were still just children. Easily swayed to Tiberius' cause, and too impatient to wait for Lazarus' plans to come to fruition.

One of the Jiralhanae, with a loud roar, charged at Lazarus, blade forward to run the chieftain through. Lazarus lifted his armored left, and knocked the blade aside. His right hand clenched into a fist and swung forward, smashing into the youth's face. Then, taking hold of the short beard the youth wore, Lazarus pulled him forward. Lazarus lifted a knee and smashed it into the younger Jiralhanae's torso, winding him to the point he tumbled to all fours, holding his chest. Lazarus, lifting the armor on his left arm over his head, swung it down and smashed into the youth's back, driving him to the ground.

Lazarus heard a shot, and looking to his side watched the other youth tumble to the ground, a rather large hole bore through his head. Down the hallway, Tays approached, carbine held at eye level, though drawing nearer, she lowered it and held it just at her hips. "Can't even keep your pups under control?" she asked, setting her carbine on her back and lighting the perpetually placed cigarette in her beak.

"They're restless," Lazarus muttered.

"They just want an end. Can you blame them?"

Lazarus sighed. "Where is Nicole?"

"I conked her over the head and left her in the storage room. Figured to keep her safe from getting stepped on."

Lazarus looked down to the two youths. "Send the order. Tomorrow this ends."

Tays nodded slowly. "Of course. I'll have the ship prepared."

"You are free to leave Tays," said Lazarus. "We can use any ship. We don't need yours."

Tays cackled lowly. "Yeah, free. Freedom is running through the stars at a light speed. Freedom is going to any planet that I want, when I want, without anyone telling me otherwise. Sangheili won't let me do that anymore. They catch me, and I'll have enough time to say shit before they chop off my head. You're not the only one with problems Laz. Not the only one, by a long shot. So quite brooding like a child."

"It'll all be over tomorrow," Lazarus grumbled and turned to walk down the hallway.

"It will _all_ be over tomorrow, huh?" Tays' cackling laughter followed Lazarus down, to the storage room, where he scooped the unconscious Nicole up, and headed back to the now vacant room of Tiberius.

***

It was an odd sort of night. A night like neither Lazarus nor Nicole had not had for many, many years. Nicole woke, the following morning, to the warm scent of Lazarus' fur, and she pushed herself up. There was a weak, stiff, soreness in her joints, and a caked on thickness over her chest. She gagged at the thought of what was covering her like clothing, and silently made a note that she really, really needed a bath.

Her warm "bed" shifted in a slight chuckle. She met Lazarus' gaze, then immediately regretted it. The look on his face sent a shiver through her spine. Sighing, she crawled backwards and landed on the ground. "Wh…where is the bathroom? Oh god, please tell me you still have a bathroom." She didn't know what could have happened to an entire room, but she wasn't thinking straight.

Lazarus chuckled, and patted her back, gesturing for her to follow him into the lavatory. "Come along, we've got to get ready for the others."

***

With the exception of several videos of the Prophet of Truth, which had been broadcast through Earth's stations during the days of the occupation, Nicole had never seen a Prophet, or San 'Shyuum she supposed she should call him. As he was standing beside Lazarus, she guessed his height was somewhere a bit over seven feet tall, which meant he cast quite an intimidating shadow to her. Prophets were odd creatures. And this close, she was intimate with how odd they really were. But the oddest thing, the strangest thing in the world, in the universe? This Prophet lowered to one knee and offered his hand. "You must be Lazarus' compatriot. If I am correct, you are the avenger of his son?"

Nicole nodded slowly, then realizing the gesture, offered her hand. She had been almost frightened that the San 'Shyuum would try to kiss her hand, or possibly bite her (what customs could these aliens possibly have?) but instead he took her hand in her other hand and gave it a slight squeeze. There was the sound of a prayer under the San 'Shyuum's breath, then silence as he let go and stood up. "Forgive me, ma'am. I am Lah, you may call me the Minister of Hope if you would like to be formal. I am not adamant about my title though."

Nicole nodded slowly, a bit confused.

"Forgive me, this is my first time in the presence of a human. I am not sure how to treat one such as yourself."

Desperate, Nicole looked to Lazarus, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation. "I've matters to tend to before we can start, minister. You can take Nicole if you like."

The San 'Shyuum looked to Nicole, then gestured for her to follow. "Come along. Perhaps we may speak of Orff."

Nicole's eyes widened at the mention of the Sangheili, and followed after suddenly. "What do you know about Orff?"

"Not as much as you, I imagine."

Nicole nodded. "We…we were the poster children for the alliance. If a human and a Sangheili could work so well, all humans and all Sangheili could work well. Never got out that the only reason we were chosen was because we were considered most expendable. Orff, I'm sure you know about Orff. Him being so close to the Jiralhanae, he wasn't exactly well liked. Me? I know where a lot of bodies are buried. It wouldn't be tragic if I was killed in the line of duty. So if the first joint task force failed; nothing gained, nothing lost." Why was she speaking to the alien like this, she briefly wondered. She supposed she simply enjoyed talking about Orff, remembering him.

"Lazarus spoke highly of Orff. Even during the Schism, Lazarus made an odd point of defending him, not allowing me to curse _all _Sangheili, only most. I imagine, where i to talk to him now, he would make a point that not _all_ humans are scum." The minister gave an odd sound that was probably a chuckle, at what Nicole took to be his version of a joke.

"Lazarus hasn't explained his plan to me," Nicole said. "What is happening? Why are you here?"

"I am here to give hope to the soldiers, for our final battle with the Sangheili and the humans. I am here to make the passing of our legacy easier."

This Prophet, he was no Truth. He was lying, but Nicole didn't know about what. It didn't matter. Lazarus wasn't stupid. Psychotic, sadistic, but not stupid. So why was there an odd fear in her heart. Some grip that squeezed and wouldn't let go. She had no worry for her own life, or worry for Lazarus. Why was she scared? She decided to leave the Prophet's side and return to Lazarus' room.


	6. Chapter 6

**When i started writing in Halo, WAY back when with a fic called In a Mad World, I never thought that these sort of things would happen. I never thought that Jiralhanae would overthrow Sangheili as my favorite species. I never thought that I would write this many fics, nor that they would evolve in this way. I never thought that I would start a Halo RP, and meet so many people...nor that i would lose so many great people. But that's life. I'm proud of this franchise, and still amazed that Lazarus, who I would say is the protagonist of this series, didn't even appear till the third fic in. And for those that have stuck with it, you are sadly few and far between, but it means a lot to me that you still read and review. I hope you enjoy.**

_Chapter 6_

The human prisoners were kept in the brig when they had no duty, but that was mostly token. The humans never tried to revolt. Tays guessed they could have been left on the ship, as the Covenant used to do with Unggoy, and there wouldn't be a problem.

The worst fate that could fall upon the humans was to end up as meat for the Jiralhanae's bellies. They all visibly tensed whenever the door to the brig opened. Then they relaxed when Tays stepped through. She opened the first jail, and walked in, wagging her plasma pistol to order the humans out. They amassed in the center of the jail. Each open jail, and the human group grew, until all were all in the center.

There were still signs that the humans retained some sense of their former life (unlike Unggoy, Tays would say, who never seemed to have any higher thought than their blasted teat). They had organized into a group with leadership. When a Jiralhanae hungered, they actually voted on who would be sacrificed to the beast. Or at least that's what Tays guessed from watching the security cameras. Out of the group of humans, came a rather stocky young man, probably the present leader.

"Relax," she said. "If I wanted you all dead, I would have gassed you in your cells, wouldn't I? I don't want you dead. Then what? You are probably asking yourself. Well, Lazarus is nuts. For a long time, I thought he had some sort of master plan going on, that's bull. He's…he's going to do something really fucking stupid. And it's going to get us all killed." Tays turned her back, and strolled along. "Now, understand something: I like my life. I like it very much. And I am pretty much only here with Laz 'cause the Sangheili would kill me on sight. But you humans, you ain't got the same vendettas against little old me. So I'm thinking, what can I give to the humans so that they won't kill me on sight? See where I am going with this?"

That wasn't really a question, and the humans didn't answer.

"So look, Laz is giving a sermon with the pack on the main ship. The one that Minister Hope came on, the biggest we have so the whole pack can be there in person. The sermon is for the final battle against the Sangheili- misguided bullshit as it is. So this ship is pretty much empty, save myself and a few Unggoy who aren't going to be a problem to persuade. I'm leaving these doors open. In thirty of your minutes, head to the bridge. The engines are all revved. Just gotta set a course for Earth and you can be on your way. I'm going to stay with Laz. Hopefully he won't put two and two together. I'll try and send you out messages of where he is, so you humans can organize an ambush. Course, before that, I'll have a little chat with your leaders and get them to agree to my…conditions."

Tays toyed with her head crest, smiling slightly, puffing on her cigarette. "I want a new ship, a big one. All the new armaments, engines, shields, everything. I want complete amnesty for any crimes the Sangheili have branded me with, and any crimes that you humans have too. And…" She sighed. "One thing, if you manage to take any of the Jiralhanae alive, I want you to leave them alive. No executions. No matter what the Sangheili want. You think you can handle that? Of course you can, I'm giving you your freedom. So I'll hammer out the details in transmissions. I'll expect to be in talks with your Lord Hood. Now remember, wait half an hour for all the big furries to get off the ship. Then you disengage the airlock and make a quick jump. And remember to tell your superiors who helped you."

Tays turned and walked out the door, leaving the humans stunned into silence.

***

Tays made quick pace through the ship, and to the airlock from where she went aboard the _Eternity_, the ship that was commanded by a younger Jiralhanae. It was the largest ship in the fleet, and a symbol of sorts for the Jiralhanae. Given its size, it was considered too slow for the raids, but it served as a good meeting area for all the packs. The crew were entirely Unggoy, since it was the personal ship of the Minister of Hope, there seemed little reason for Jiralhanae to serve. Those Unggoy were all most likely waiting in the storage area, as the ship was now almost completely overwhelmed with Jiralhanae. The smell of fur and musk was unbearable. Tays actually gagged as she strolled along to the bridge, where she met with Lazarus again.

"Everything set," she said. "You might want to take a few pot shots at the ship, make the humans believe this is all legit." She cawed slightly.

Lazarus slumped back in his chair, holding his head in his remaining hand, elbow resting on the armrest of the chair.

Nicole, who was standing beside Lazarus, looked to the Jiralhanae. "Just what is your diabolical plan?" she asked with a dry wit. Honestly, hadn't she proved herself yet? Hadn't she shown that Lazarus could trust her? But no, she wasn't laced with muscle and she had no fur.

With a passive sigh, Lazarus looked to her, then out at the screen depicting the _Unending Devotion_, sitting in the midst of space, waiting to fly away. "Have everyone in the hall," he said softly. And standing, he turned and left the bridge.

***

"My brothers," Lazarus said. The two handed hammer lay adorned on his back. His armor was polished and had a fresh coat of coloring, making his pale fur seem all the whiter in relation to the black and crimson surroundings. "Fate has not been kind to us. The gods, for all our faith and sacrifice, have banished us now, and left us at the mercy of our enemies. Yet here we are. Here we stand, shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand. We have lost all we had and we continue fighting, we continue struggling against the near endless tide of cruelty and destruction that the Sangheili and their human pets should will upon us. They see us as little more than vermin to crush beneath their heels, or toys to play with when they grow bored. And they have made clear how little they value our lives, time and time again. Every soldier, every Jiralhanae here lost someone, and that makes us brothers. Blood feuds and pack vendettas have been brushed aside. Because, now, all we have is each other. And revenge. We've the sweet promise of revenge on our lips. We've the belief that, if the gods will not punish the guilty, it shall be us crafting our vengeance. And so we have. And so, they shall know the true pain the loss they have so wantonly thrust upon us.

"Now they shall pay. Now they shall know the pain they have thrust upon us, and they shall feel the agony they have given us. They shall know the deep longing and agony that we have felt every moment since that fateful day.

Lazarus laughed slightly. "For all their so called intelligence, they are predictable creatures, unable to let go of past hates or overcome lingering suspicions. They hide a blade behind their backs, just waiting for the reason to unsheathe them. Though they are the pawns, we are the architects of this greatest vengeance. We are the guiding hand, and we shall revel in the horror that they inflict upon each other, for it is us guiding their blade. This is our victory, and their defeat. Their darkest time, and our brightest day.

"As we speak, our great vengeance moves towards fruition. Safely in the belly of the ship the humans have 'taken' lays the blade of our punishment. Flood spores, scraped from every Forerunner artifact we could fine, stuffed into a hundred containers, each spore itching and scraping to taste heretic flesh. It shall be a beautiful sight, as we watch the ship sail into the port, and the humans, teary-eyed watching their thought dead companions come. Those humans are so blind with that bitter devil of hope that they not think to check a slight rumble in the hull. And a moment later, a flood of gangrenous parasite shall be upon them.

"The humans are foolish. They look to the Sangheili with such suspicion. They demand no Sangheili ships docked near their planet. And they barricade Earth in hopes of keeping it safe. But they think not of what lives amongst them. The parasites shall spread and eat and fester. Every human shall be fed to the great beasts. And the humans, fearful of the Sangheili, shall not call aid. They will attempt to protect themselves. They will attempt to contain it for themselves. And more meat for the Flood's bellies.

"Inevitably, it shall come to pass that the Sangheili learn of what has happened. 'For the good of the galaxy' they shall glass that last refuge of humanity, that burning light that had kept them warm and safe in the darkness. Finally, the Sangheili shall destroy Earth, with only the noblest of intentions in mind. They will send what remains of their decaying fleets to destroy the planet they so long sought in one swift blow. And why not? What will they have to fear?"

Lazarus smiled, looking to his pack, who were roaring and shouting in enthusiasm by now. "They fancy their planet safe. They believe they have so closely guarded Sangheilos, so keenly kept it safe. They are fools. As they had in the war, they grow bored and stupid, and allow as in the times of peace, civil wars between the houses grip them. They think the humans fools, but I opened their eyes. And to lose their planet, the humans will be left with nothing but that burning hatred that _we_ know so well. As we speak, I dare to say there are already human ships waiting near Sangheilos. The moment its location was understood, their Lord Hood had sent a fleet, not to be found but just to wait. To spot. To spy. And they would remain, should the Sangheili ever amass, they would strike first. And when Earth starts to fall, the order shall be given. I am aware of the human's capabilities. Their weapons. And I am equally aware of what Sangheilos boasts. These facts I know from the company I keep. The Sangheili are fools who cannot fancy themselves as taken by surprise. A sneak attack with crash through their boundaries, and countless weapons shall befall them. The blitzkrieg shall be as swift and brutal as the humans ever managed, and leave the planet the Sangheili cling to a smoldering toxic wasteland. And we, the Jiralhanae, the vermin beneath their heels, the Brutes and the mongrels, it is our hand that created this. And we, we shall watch the worlds burn with a laugh. We, brother, shall watch the world burn."

The roar that succeeded was deafening. Nicole, who stood at the back of the hall, had to cover her ears.

***

Nicole stayed in Lazarus' room for the next few days, laying on his very large bed. Every couple hours, the door would open and a Jiralhanae would step in, looking for the chieftain. When the chieftain wasn't found, they simply left, and Nicole was still alone. She wished Orff would come, but he was dead. She missed Orff. She missed Orff so bad.

Then, after perhaps three or four days, or a week, the door opened and Lazarus came in. He moved to the bed and picked her up in one hand. Turning and sitting, he set her in his lap. "Why didn't you tell me…_this _was your plan?" she asked.

"You never asked," was the simple, almost human response. Was that specifically human sarcasm he had picked up from her? Or Kig-Yar sarcasm picked up from Tays? Or a unique brand of Jiralhanae sarcasm? "You said you had no problem killing humans."

"This is not just…what you did. It's not just killing a couple marines or blowing up a ship."

"I did nothing. The Flood and the Sangheili did," Lazarus corrected.

"You were the architect. Isn't that the word you nobly apply to it?"

"What then Nicole? Would you like to kill me? Vengeance for your planet? It is over. We steal the Sangheili's radios, and we've heard the order to destroy Earth so the infection may not spread. Next, the humans shall attack with their last breath. Even if you kill every Jiralhanae on this ship and fly to Earth, it is too late. It is done."

Nicole curled up tighter. She shivered as she felt Lazarus' head dip, and his large snout nuzzle her. "They say, an eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind. What's to stop them from hitting you again?" she asked.

"They couldn't catch me when they had the entire Navy hunting. What will they do now that there is only a handful?" His thick tongue touched her cheek.

She groaned. "You're a monster, Lazarus. You are…a monster."

His laugh was like thunder. "I will not deny that." Nicole closed her heavy eyes. "Just relax. Sleep. It's over now. It's all over now."

She did sleep, slow and steady, in Lazarus' arms. Sangheilos destroyed. She believed Lazarus in that matter, because, this was Lazarus, and she doubted anything was impossible when he set his mind to it. The oddest thought in the world, but she was at peace. Earth was in shambles, ONI was destroyed. Nic, Eva, Tiny, they had been avenged. And Sangheilos. So Tim. She chuckled, then felt sick. What was wrong with her, that in the wake of so much death, she even think of that? She was as much a monster as Lazarus, perhaps more. Sighing, she snuggled closer to the Jiralhanae, in his arms all night.


End file.
